Schneider & Salvador to IR

You missed the point. Gionta fits the bill for what a perfect 13th forward is. I realize he's not being used like it. I've said numerous times Josefson should be the everyday 4th line center.

I guess good thing you're not the coach and that decision isnt yours.. gionta has the job on his line for a reason.. may be reasons we dont see but hes obviously the superior player for the position or he wouldnt have it.

I guess good thing you're not the coach and that decision isnt yours.. gionta has the job on his line for a reason.. may be reasons we dont see but hes obviously the superior player for the position or he wouldnt have it.

C'mon, you can't honestly believe that Lil Gio is better than JJ? Gio might be quicker and have a slightly better shot, but JJ is better in every other way.

C'mon, you can't honestly believe that Lil Gio is better than JJ? Gio might be quicker and have a slightly better shot, but JJ is better in every other way.

to be honest I feel like I havent really seen enough of jj to be convinced that he should have gios job.. I like gionta on the line with bernier and carter they all work well together.. theres obviously a reason hes still on a line with them there has to be more then jist gio is a hard worker yada yada

to be honest I feel like I havent really seen enough of jj to be convinced that he should have gios job.. I like gionta on the line with bernier and carter they all work well together.. theres obviously a reason hes still on a line with them there has to be more then jist gio is a hard worker yada yada

If you can't back it up with something other than "there has to be a reason", then what's the point in this discussion? JJ is superior in all ways, except he's not a grinder, which is what PDB seems to want.

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If you can't back it up with something other than "there has to be a reason", then what's the point in this discussion? JJ is superior in all ways, except he's not a grinder, which is what PDB seems to want.

it obviously fits his system better then jjs style of play.. which could be a reason hes not on the roster

it obviously fits his system better then jjs style of play.. which could be a reason hes not on the roster

I think Deboer likes players who he feels works hard. He would take a hard working player giving him 5.5 rather than a more effortless or lazy player giving him a 6, IMO.

I'd go differently, I don't really care how a player looks doing it, I want the 6 over the 5.5. I think Deboer subconsciously gives bonus points for hard work, as if there are bonus goals for that.

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It's funny how since the defense had a bad stretch the gio hate on the board has died down.

But I still feel the same way about him that I do with Harold- if he's used as the extra skater with spot starts he's fine. But deboer wants a hard working energy guy on the 4th and I guess jj isn't that type.

It's funny how since the defense had a bad stretch the gio hate on the board has died down.

But I still feel the same way about him that I do with Harold- if he's used as the extra skater with spot starts he's fine. But deboer wants a hard working energy guy on the 4th and I guess jj isn't that type.

Besides being a 1st year pro, I don't mind Merrill spending this year in the AHL. The Devils already have enough capable D, he's only 21, and he's missed a lot of time over the last few years - 33 games in all competitions last year, 25 games in all competitions the year before. I'd be concerned about his stamina.

Boucher's off to a great start, 8 GP 2-5-7, +2, 8.33 SH%, 3 SH/GP but I don't think he'd be better than any of the Devils current forwards. I want to see him be consistent and keep progressing in Albany this year.

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It's funny how since the defense had a bad stretch the gio hate on the board has died down.

But I still feel the same way about him that I do with Harold- if he's used as the extra skater with spot starts he's fine. But deboer wants a hard working energy guy on the 4th and I guess jj isn't that type.

I don't hate Gio, but there are other players I'd like to see tried out. As far as him on the PK, his reach kills him. But obviously Pete is very, very comfortable with not only him, but that line in general. Break up that line and Gio goes bye bye.

gio is not going to be used as a 13th forward not even sure why you would get that idea? There have been no signs by anyone that he woyld be coming out of the line up the coaching staff obviously likes the guy

Because it's a good idea and quite practical and reasonable at that? And one needs to question the coaching staff with how deplorable a job they have done stretching back to last year.

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He played his first games as a 19-year old. Maybe you could argue he didn't play enough to be considered rushed since he only had 14 NHL games with us but it got a point with him where he went from being our best d-prospect to being expendable. Matteau was even younger and absolutely rushed last year, he wouldn't have been anywhere near the NHL if it wasn't for our hideous forward situation and he certainly wouldn't have stayed beyond the five games if Zubrus didn't get hurt. He was playing double-digit minutes most of the time here.

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He played his first games as a 19-year old. Maybe you could argue he didn't play enough to be considered rushed since he only had 14 NHL games with us but it got a point with him where he went from being our best d-prospect to being expendable. Matteau was even younger and absolutely rushed last year, he wouldn't have been anywhere near the NHL if it wasn't for our hideous forward situation and he certainly wouldn't have stayed beyond the five games if Zubrus didn't get hurt. He was playing double-digit minutes most of the time here.

I really don't think a few NHL games ruins a player's development. Maybe if they both played out a season with us way before they were ready, sure, but I really doubt that less than 25% of an NHL season will ruin a prospect. I mean, Matteau played almost that with 17, but Urbom got 8 games, a full year after he was drafted, then 5 the next year and 1 the year after that.

Let Boucher and Merrill stay down for the year and get ready, we've rushed kids a lot lately and it hasn't really worked out for us (Urbom, Josefson, Matteau, Larsson).

You can't want Merrill to stay in the minors all year and for the Devils to trade a defenseman on the roster. That would leave NJ with 6 guys + Gelinas and a bunch of guys in the minors with 0 NHL experience, the best of whom is clearly Merrill.

Merrill will probably get some games anyway, even as #9 on the depth chart. Injuries happen.